


Drowning

by RiahWrites02



Category: SHINee
Genre: Crushes, Cute Ending, Drowning, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Picnic gone wrong, Romance, Team Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 08:21:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27680017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiahWrites02/pseuds/RiahWrites02
Summary: SHINee goes for a picnic in the countryside by a river and...things don’t go as planned.
Relationships: Kim Jonghyun/Lee Taemin
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	Drowning

**Author's Note:**

> This was one of the two near-death experience JongTae dreams I had, weirdly enough. I don’t remember much about the dream, but I wanted to get it off my chest. Set during Sherlock era.

“Taemin, catch!” Minho throws the frisbee towards me, just missing and hitting my leg. 

“You’re a terrible shot, Min,” scolds Jinki. 

I look at Minho nervously. I really like his haircut for this comeback. His cute, curly locks; he looked great in the sweater for promo shoots. I like the detective concept and all too. I know Key looked great in the MV shoot. I can’t wait until it’s out. But for now, we’ve been banished from the building, as there’s a big training event today. Jinki decided it was good for all of us to get out. It’s uncharacteristically warm for early March, and I threw off my jacket long ago. Minho found a good picnic spot by the river out in the park. We had to drive over an hour to get here, away from all the city traffic, and hopefully, pollution. 

It’s so warm out; I really like it. I decide to lie in the grass. I don’t care if I get dirty. I have a meeting tomorrow for the comeback but I will shower before then. 

My stomach is starting to settle after eating, but it’s not always good. I still have a weak stomach. I know Jinki would scold me for not eating enough, but I don’t have much of an appetite anymore. But I go feel a bit faint. 

“Gosh, Taemin, you’re really acting like a pig now,” teases Key.   
“What?” I’m hurt by the comment. 

“No, I meant like—since you’re playing in the grass and mud—not that you’re fat.” 

Minho laughs, then glances behind him. “Wait, where’s Jonghyun?” 

“He said he was taking a walk, remember?” Key starts pulling grass out of the ground like a little kid. 

“What if he gets lost?” Minho asks. 

“He won’t get lost. You’re being silly.”

“Key, watch your words,” says Jinki. “I know you were teasing Taemin about being in the mud, but…” 

“It’s fine.” I shrug it off. Key and Minho don’t always realize how I take to teasing. I’m sensitive anyway. I always think I’m fat, but Jonghyun told me it was cheek fat. It makes me look like a chipmunk. 

“Mmm, it’s warm out,” says Minho. “I wonder how the water is?”

“Good idea!” Says Key, not being one to hesitate. “I have shorts on.” He takes off his shirt and jeans and jumps into the river. “Hey, it’s not too bad!”  
“Okay, dork!” Minho grabs the rubber ball and tosses it to Key. He jumps into the river fully clothed, and starts splashing at Key. 

“Too shy to show your sexy chest?” Key teases him.

“Oh come on,” Jinki sighs, taking off his shirt and shoes and leaving his phone on the blanket. I should watch their stuff, but I don’t think anyone will come by. It looks fun, to splash around with them. I have shorts too, in my bag in case I got hot. I quickly change and jump into the water after them. 

It’s a bit cold, but not too deep. I don’t feel so bad. “Catch!” Key throws the ball to Jinki, who throws it to Minho. They keep laughing and splashing around. 

Key shoves me. “Hey!” I shout. I throw the ball to Minho. Then Key and Minho start wrestling and Jinki joins in, now committed to the chaos. 

I feel the current pick up a bit. I feel like we’re moving down the river. It’s getting colder too. And deeper. “Umm, guys?” I point it out to them. 

“So what, it’s a bit deep. You scared of the water?” Minho taunts me. 

“N-no?” I wouldn’t admit that to them. I feel a bit bad. I start swimming a little ways away from the group, but they hardly notice me. They’re back to their old playful antics. They’re shouting and playing, not taking any notice of me. I feel like their shouts are getting more distant too…the water is so cold… “G-guys?” My voice doesn’t carry through the rapidly rushing current. I feel myself losing my footing and being pulled down and forward now. It’s too deep to stand in now. Panicking, I try to get control of my body as the current gets stronger. I try to keep my head above water, but it’s just getting harder and harder. I’m freezing. “GUYS?” I use all of my breath to yell. That was a mistake. I feel the air go out of my lungs as I’m pulled down by some unseen force. I can feel the panic in my mind. I try to hold my breath while trying to swim, but it feels so useless. I was never much of a swimmer. Please, someone, help. Where are the others? They wouldn’t even notice if their maknae went missing? My thoughts start to cloud over. I can’t hold my breath for much longer. I fight to keep my eyes open underwater. Please, God. Did I do something wrong? Is the universe angry at me? Please, somebody. Please. I feel myself choking from water, panic. I’d be crying if I had any air left in my lungs. I wish I could clear my head, just long enough to try something, anything…I close my eyes. Is this really the end? Someone, please save me. I’ve been a good person, I swear! Please…

I take a swig out of my water bottle. It’s important to stay hydrated for long walks. It feels so refreshing to get out. I’m so relieved that it’s almost springtime. I’m not sure how much more of this winter I can take. I should be getting back to the camp soon, if I followed the river properly and didn’t get too lost…

“GUYS?” I hear something that sounds like shouting. It’s down by the river. Are the guys down there? Whatever it is, it doesn’t sound good. Maybe it isn’t my problem, but it’s not like anybody else is going to help. Should I call security? That’s not going to matter in a minute if someone is drowning. I kick my shoes off and run down to the river. I follow the sound. Then I see it, violent splashing, a mad effort by whoever is caught between to fight the current. I don’t think about it for a second; I jump into the water. I hold my breath and dive under. I can make out a person now, struggling for air, now splashing less violently…fighting for consciousness…I freeze. Shoulder length brown hair-small frame, skinny legs flailing desperately in the water—Taemin.

I don’t know how any of this happened, where the others are, but I don’t have time to think about it now. I grab Taemin around the waist and start swimming upwards, madly. I can’t panic. It would be the death of both of us. But I can’t stop my racing heart. I was never that strong, but Taemin is so small it almost doesn’t matter. I half-thrust, half-throw him onto the grassy shore, as I struggle to keep myself up. I try to catch my breath as I collapse next to him. I get the water of my nose and mouth, then quickly get up to examine him. I’m not sure if he’s conscious now…no, he can’t be, he would be coughing like mad. He’s so skinny…I know it doesn’t have to do with anything, but it’s a wonder his frame could hold him at all. I don’t hesitate to put my CPR training to use. I knew medical stuff since I was a young kid, since my mom and sister would always make sure everyone knew basic survival skills. I don’t even think twice. No one else is here. It’s all on me. 

I jerk back, my vision unblurring as I start to cough. 

“Sit up, sit up, Taemin!” 

Someone is here. My head is pounding. I can’t stop coughing. I feel someone grab my from behind and force me to sit up. I start coughing up water, violently. 

“It’s okay, keep going. Get all the water out.” My head isn’t clear enough to know who just saved my life, but I don’t care. I keep my eyes closed and keep coughing for a couple minutes. 

Finally, I feel like most of the water is gone. I lie back down on the ground. My head starts to clear a bit. 

“Okay…you’re okay, you’re okay now, right? Okay, okay.”

I open my eyes to see the most beautiful boy I have ever seen in my entire life. Beautiful thick brown hair, warm worried eyes and the lips of an angel. “Ohhhhh. I can’t stop staring. Our eyes lock again. 

“What?” He laughs, shakily. “It’s just me. Bling bling, remember?” 

I don’t have amnesia. I just never realized how beautiful he was… “Jonghyun…”

“It’s okay,” he still sounds scared. “I was so scared…I was scared it wouldn’t work, that you wouldn’t…”

“I’m fine…” I choke out. My throat may burn and my head may be throbbing, but I’m truly in the arms of an angel. “Just fine—”

“Thank goodness, too, I don’t know what I would have done…what happened? Where are the others?” 

“I don’t know…we were playing in the river and the current got really bad…I got nervous, then Minho asked if I was scared and I swam away to go prove to him…then they all started playing again and didn’t notice me and I panicked. The current was pulling me, and it was too deep to stand in…I’m not a good swimmer and I tried to get to the surface, but—” I run out of breath from telling him. I close my eyes again. I’m so tired after everything. 

“You’re very lucky I heard you,” he says. “I can’t believe it. They would just leave you like that—” he sounds mad. I’m too tired to argue that it isn’t their fault, and I shouldn’t have gotten cocky…just then, I hear frantic footsteps and shouting. 

“Taemin?? TAEMIN!”

“Guys, over here!”

“Jonghyun?” 

“TAEMIN! Taemin are you?” Key is grabbing both of my hands now, shaking my violently, probably to make sure I’m real. 

“Oh my god—we were so scared…” Minho grabs my leg. “Tae—”

Everyone is so loud. I’m half-sitting now, Kibum and Minho all over me. I see Jinki now. He doesn’t run to me or say anything when he sees me. He just collapses in his place. 

“Jinki!” Jonghyun jumps up. “What’s wrong?”  
He’s shaking, sobbing so hard he can’t talk. He buries his face in Jonghyun’s already-soaked shirt.

“I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have teased you,” says Key. 

“I shouldn’t have taunted you! I’m sorry! I’m horrible!” Minho is shouting, close to crying himself. 

“Guys, it’s okay, please…” I’m just glad I’m alive…I’m still shaken up from the incident, but the panicked feeling is slowly leaving my body. 

“We didn’t notice you were missing and then—Jinki thought he heard something. Then we saw you were gone…we didn’t see you though…the current pulled you really far…we started going along the river, praying you had somehow gotten to dry land and gotten a bit lost…” Key explains. 

“You mean you were praying.” 

“Admit it, you said a couple prayers, too Minho.”

“I’m an atheist!”

I smile weakly. Their bickering over the dumbest things will never cease to be amusing.   
“Can you like, walk?” Key asks me. It’s a stupid question, but I elect to scoot over to Jonghyun and Jinki instead. It hurts me to see my Hyung so upset. I never should have wandered off…“I’m right here, Jinki.” I put my hand on his shoulder. “You’re not dreaming; it’s all right.” 

He turns towards me, rubbing his eyes violently on his imaginary sleeve, then shaking me a little too hard. 

“Hey, be gentle!” Scolds Jonghyun. His voice is so nice, even when he’s scolding. 

“Taemin!” Jinki starts feeling me all over. “Taemin…”  
“I’m right here. I’m real.” I tell him. 

“I got so scared…one second you were there, and then…I should have listened when you said the water was too deep…I got so scared, I’m the leader you know…we were hoping you were just hanging out by the river or got lost, but…I know you’re not good at swimming, I’m so sorry…”

“It’s okay; I shouldn’t have run off. Don’t feel bad.”

“And I shouldn’t have teased him about the water,” Minho sighs. “It’s just good Jonghyun was around, or…”

“I mean yeah we can’t think you enough,” Key kisses him on the cheek. I know Key is just like that, but I’m jealous regardless. I want to be the one kissing him, really kissing him, those beautiful lips…

“Guys, it’s okay. I’m here now.” I tell them. 

“I’m so relieved. If something happened to you I never could have forgiven myself.”

“Jinki, please.”

“You won’t believe how my heart almost stopped when I realized it was you,” says Jonghyun. “You’re so small and cute and precious and you deserve the world and I would have just gone insane if you—”

“Stop it, Jong, you’re dating me, remember?” Key laughs. I know the whole thing is a joke, and Jonghyun always dotes on me, but what if…wait. 

“What do you mean I’m small. You’re just talking since I was 13 when you met me. I’m like as tall as you or taller now…” 

“Yeah, you’re tall, but you’re all skin and bones,” says Key. “In truth, you’d have to be stupid to think I meant you were fat.”

“Umm.” I feel like crying. My insecurity has only gotten worse the more I practice. I don’t like my face, I don’t like my body, I hate my voice. I would do anything to sing like Jonghyun or Jinki one day. No matter what I try, I just don’t feel good enough. 

“Taemin, your baby cheeks are cute you know. You really should eat more,” Jonghyun says. “Wasn’t there food somewhere?” 

“Yeah, truth be told, I’m starving.” Minho laughs. 

“I have a granola bar rotting in my jeans pocket back at the site, but Taemin gets it,” says Key.   
“Oh, come on.”

“No, I insist.”

“I’m still hungry,” says Minho. 

“You ate like an hour ago, dude.”

“Okay, and?” 

“You guys take Taemin back and give him that granola bar,” says Jinki, taking an authoritarian tone. “I’m gonna run up to the vending machine and get more food, and see if I can get some towels from the pool area. They keep them in the warehouse. Shouldn’t be too hard to break into.” He laughs. “I’ll be back. Don’t run off on me and drown, okay? Any of you.”

“Yeah, drowning sounds fun!” Minho laughs. “But really. Taemin. I’m so glad you’re okay. Race you back to base, Key?”

“Sure!” Key laughs and takes off. 

“No fair! You got a head start!” Minho runs after him. 

“Can you walk all right? Oh that’s an ugly scratch on your leg,” Jonghyun points down. I didn’t even notice it. 

“It’s okay, I think I’ll take that over drowning.”

“Fair enough,” Jonghyun laughs. “I’m just..I’m so relieved. Don’t scare me like that again. You’re not allowed!”

“I didn’t even have time to thank you properly for saving me,” I tell him. “So thank you. This is gonna sound kind of funny, but—” I’m not a very bold person. 

“You have nice lips. And eyes.”

“Come on, let’s get that water out of your brain. I’ll carry you.” His teasing can’t hide the sparkle in his eyes though. Maybe, just maybe, I have a chance. But I’m too tired for that now. I let him sling me over his shoulder and walk me back to our spot. Maybe it was worth almost dying just to realize how perfect he was. Probably not though. I do need to get some water out of my brain.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading. Comments and kudos are much appreciated.


End file.
